Billingford, Breckland

Human settlement in England

Billingford

St Peter's parish church

Billingford

Location within Norfolk

Area| 7.36 km2 (2.84 sq mi)
Population| 253 (2011 Census)
• Density| 34/km2 (88/sq mi)
OS grid reference| TG014193
Civil parish|

* Billingford

District|

* Breckland

Shire county|

* Norfolk

Region|

* East

Country| England
Sovereign state| United Kingdom
Post town| Dereham
Postcode district| NR20
Dialling code| 01362
Police| Norfolk
Fire| Norfolk
Ambulance| East of England
UK Parliament|

* Mid Norfolk

Website| Billingford Parish Council

List of places

England
Norfolk

52°44′00″N 0°59′00″E﻿ / ﻿52.7333°N 0.9833°E﻿ / 52.7333; 0.9833

Billingford is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk.

Billingford is located 2.5 miles (4.0 km) north of Dereham, with the civil parish being approximately 2.84 square miles (7.4 km2) in area.

## History

[edit]

The origin of the name 'Billingford' is uncertain, although it is certainly of Anglo-Saxon origin. It derives from Old English, either a ford at the ridge or the ford of the hill people.[1]

Despite this, Billingford parish shows signs of earlier habitation. Several artefacts from the Neolithic and Bronze Age have been found in Billingford. Furthermore, the Fen Causeway, a Roman road, ran through Billingford which has left many Roman artefacts.[2] This led to excavations along the banks of the River Wensum during the 1990s. It was discovered that there was a significant Roman settlement in Billingford which is today a Scheduled Monument.[3] One of the artefacts uncovered at the site is the golden medallion pictured below.

Billingford is listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 as consisting of 43 households in the hundred of Eynesford. At this time, Billingford was divided between the estates of Alan of Brittany, Ranulf Peverel and Humphrey, son of Aubrey.[4]

Billingford Hall is also located within the village. This manor house was built in the Eighteenth Century and has been Grade II listed since 1984.[5] Within the grounds of the hall is an Eighteenth Century icehouse, which was also Grade II listed in 1984.[6]

## Geography

[edit]

Billingford is located along the northern bank of the River Wensum and straddles the B1145 which runs from King's Lynn and Mundesley.

The 2011 Census recorded the parish population as 253.[7]

## St. Peter's Church

[edit]

Roman gold amulet found at Billingford

Billingford's parish church is dedicated to Saint Peter and was largely built in the Fourteenth Century. The lectern within the church is shaped like an eagle and originates from the Sixteenth Century.[8] The structure has been Grade I listed since 1960.[9]

Within the grounds of the church there is a Nineteenth Century schoolhouse, which is Grade II listed.[10]

## Governance

[edit]

Billingford is part of the electoral ward of Upper Wensum for local elections and is part of the district of Breckland.

Bexwell's national constituency is Mid Norfolk, which has been represented by the Conservative George Freeman since 2010.

## War Memorial

[edit]

St. Peter's Church also contains Billingford's War Memorial. The memorial is a wooden plaque which commemorates 31 men who served and returned, alongside nine men who died.[11] The names of the dead are as follows:

Rank  | Name  | Unit  | Date of Death  | Other Commemoration/Burial

|
|
|
|

Private  | Horace A. Lake  | 1st Battalion, Essex Regiment | 13 August 1915  | Helles Memorial
Private  | Ernest A. Peachment  | 176 Company, Machine Gun Corps | 27 August 1917  | New Irish Farm Cemetery
Private  | John C. Dack  | 1st Battalion, Norfolk Regiment | 27 July 1916  | Thiepval Memorial
Private  | Stephen Howard  | 1st Bn., Norfolk Rgt.  | 5 August 1917  | Military Cemetery, Roclincourt
Private  | James W. Canham  | 1/4th Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment | 28 November 1917  | War Memorial Cemetery, Alexandria

And, Arthur E. Clarke, Albert Howard and Harry Overman.

## Notable People

[edit]

* Thomas Anson (1818-1899), cricketer
* Robert Curzon (c. 1491–1550), Member of Parliament
* Gordon Flowerdew (1885-1918), Canadian soldier, recipient of the Victoria Cross
* Peter Parfitt (born 1936), cricketer
* Horatio Walpole (1663 – 1717), Member of Parliament

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Key to English Place-names". kepn.nottingham.ac.uk. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
2. ^ "Billingford-(Breckland)-(Parish-Summary) - Norfolk Heritage Explorer". www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
3. ^ "A Roman roadside settlement 150m south-west of Billingford Hall, Billingford - 1021458 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
4. ^ "Billingford | Domesday Book". opendomesday.org. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
5. ^ "BILLINGFORD HALL, Billingford - 1169883 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
6. ^ "BILLINGFORD HALL ICEHOUSE AT TG0109200, Billingford - 1342537 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
7. ^ UK Census (2011). "Local Area Report – Billingford Parish (1170215935)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
8. ^ "Norfolk Churches". www.norfolkchurches.co.uk. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
9. ^ "CHURCH OF ST PETER, Billingford - 1077412 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
10. ^ "SCHOOL ROOM IN THE CHURCHYARD WEST SOUTH WEST OF CHURCH OF ST PETER, Billingford - 1169873 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
11. ^ "St Peter's, Billingford - WW1". Imperial War Museums. Retrieved 30 October 2024.

## Bibliography

[edit]

* Blomefield, Francis (1808). "Eynford Hundred: Billingford". An Essay Towards A Topographical History of the County of Norfolk. Vol. VIII. London: W Miller. pp. 192–195.
* Ekwall, Eilert (1960) [1936]. Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-Names (4th ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. Billingford. ISBN 0198691033. `{{cite book}}`: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
* Lewis, Samuel, ed. (1931) [1848]. A Topographical Dictionary of England. Vol. I (Seventh ed.). London: Samuel Lewis. p. 241.
* Pevsner, Nikolaus (1962). North-East Norfolk and Norwich. The Buildings of England. Vol. 1\. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books. p. 88.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Billingford, Breckland.

* Billingford Parish Council

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Civil parishes of Breckland

* Ashill
* Attleborough
* Banham
* Bawdeswell
* Beachamwell
* Beeston with Bittering
* Beetley
* Besthorpe
* Billingford
* Bintree
* Blo' Norton
* Bradenham
* Brettenham
* Bridgham
* Brisley
* Bylaugh
* Carbrooke
* Caston
* Cockley Cley
* Colkirk
* Cranwich
* Cranworth
* Croxton
* Didlington
* Dereham
* East Tuddenham
* Elsing
* Foulden
* Foxley
* Fransham
* Garboldisham
* Garvestone, Reymerston and Thuxton
* Gateley
* Gooderstone
* Great Cressingham
* Great Dunham
* Great Ellingham
* Gressenhall
* Griston
* Guist
* Hardingham
* Harling
* Hilborough
* Hockering
* Hockham
* Hoe and Worthing
* Holme Hale
* Horningtoft
* Ickburgh
* Kempstone
* Kenninghall
* Kilverstone
* Lexham
* Litcham
* Little Cressingham
* Little Dunham
* Little Ellingham
* Longham
* Lynford
* Lyng
* Mattishall
* Merton
* Mileham
* Mundford
* Narborough
* Narford
* Necton
* New Buckenham
* Newton by Castle Acre
* North Elmham
* North Lopham
* North Pickenham
* North Tuddenham
* Old Buckenham
* Ovington
* Oxborough
* Quidenham
* Riddlesworth
* Rocklands
* Roudham and Larling
* Rougham
* Saham Toney
* Scarning
* Scoulton
* Shipdham
* Shropham
* Snetterton
* South Acre
* South Lopham
* South Pickenham
* Sparham
* Sporle with Palgrave
* Stanfield
* Stanford
* Stow Bedon and Breckles
* Sturston
* Swaffham
* Swanton Morley
* Thetford
* Thompson
* Tittleshall
* Tottington
* Twyford
* Watton
* Weasenham All Saints
* Weasenham St Peter
* Weeting-with-Broomhill
* Wellingham
* Wendling
* Whinburgh and Westfield
* Whissonsett
* Wretham
* Yaxham

See also
Broadland
Great Yarmouth
King's Lynn and West Norfolk
North Norfolk
South Norfolk

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* United States

Other|

* Yale LUX

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